A Furry Little Problem
by hpotteralways394
Summary: One-shot fanfic of when The Marauders find out dear Moony's little secret. In second-year. Please read and review! :)


**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. The great J.K. Rowling has that honor. :)**

**A/N: This is just a little story I wrote a while ago that I came across. I hope you enjoy! Please read and review! :)**

James was bent over a book in the library. Yes, James Potter, the Marauder, was reading in the Hogwarts library one day in second year. The Hogwarts students whispered about him as they passed. Even his friends had no idea what had happened to him. Sirius thought his best mate had gone bonkers, Remus thought he had rubbed off on James (of which he was proud), and Peter- well, Peter thought James was just studying for the exams...that were over ten months away.

Over the next week, James barely left the library. He woke up way before the other boys in his dorm, ate on his way to the library, and left for classes when he had to, but he spent all his free time reading. At the end of the week, when he was absolutely sure about his research, he confronted Sirius and Peter, making sure Remus wasn't near.

"Guys," James said to his friends, pausing a little, "Remus... isawerewolf." He tried to say it calmly, bluntly, to get it over with, but it all came tumbling out in one incoherent jumble of words.

"Sorry, didn't catch that, mate." Sirius told James, with a slight smirk on his face at his friend's nervousness.

"Remus is a," James took a big gulp of air, "werewolf."

Sirius' smirk slipped off his face and Peter made a choked whimpering sound and coughed awkwardly.

"Come on, mate, I don't think he could keep something like that from us for over a year. And he just doesn't seem like one to turn into a monster every month." Sirius calmly stated.

"Just hear me out: He disappears once a month every month to 'go see sick relatives' or 'help his mum' or whatever other lame excuse he comes up with. He always comes back looking like an angry hippogryph attacked him 'cause he's got scratches and bruises everywhere. I've been doing research all week (even though it just about killed me to ruin my reputation like that) and saw that he leaves on a full moon every time. He gets pale and weak the week leading up to full moon- symptoms of lycanthropy. It all fits, so let's just ask him. I'm sure he'd tell us."

"Oh yeah, that'll be a cheerful discussion. 'Hey, Remus, are you a werewolf?" Sirius replied sarcastically.

Peter spoke up for the first time, "It's worth a shot, right?"

"Good, it's settled, then. Let's go now."

"Wait, you mean now as in NOW?" Sirius asked.

"No, I mean now as in tomorrow. Yes, you idiot, I mean now."

"You mean now?"

"Yup."

"N-"

"Merlin's beard! Shut up, both of you!" Peter shouted.

* * *

"Remus!" Sirius shouted after his mate later that day.

Remus turned around and waited for them to catch up. They noticed a set of fresh scars on his already bruised face.

The three friends looked at each other comfortingly and James was about to begin as planned when Sirius, who apparently couldn't hold it in any longer, blurted out, "Where do you go when you transform?"

Remus said, "Shrieking Shack," without even thinking about it. A moment later realization dawned on him. He watched his friends' reaction with a look of horror on his face. When no insult came, he decided he'd kick himself out.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I didn't think you would want to be my friend if you found out. Now that you have... I'll just go."

"What are you talking about? Of course you're still our friend, Remus! Just because you have a... a furry little problem doesn't mean we aren't going to be your friend any more!" James exclaimed. At "a furry little problem" Sirius snorted loudly and even Remus managed a small smile.

Remus then searched his friends faces for a while and smiled. "Thanks guys! That really means a lot."

Peter asked quietly, "When did you...?" but he let the question die off.

Remus took a deep breath and launched into his story with occasional pauses. "I had just turned four the day before. My cousin had come to visit since it was my birthday. She was about the same age as me, maybe a little younger. It was a cold night and she had left her stuffed animal that she sleeps with outside. She asked me to get it for her so I went out to look for it.

"I found her toy near the woods in our backyard so I went to pick it up. I heard this growling. I thought it was just our dog. It wasn't. I realized too late that there was a werewolf right in front of me.

"I tried to scream for help, but the werewolf attacked me. It scratched my arms, legs, chest, face, everywhere. Then it bit my shoulder and the pain was so great that I found my voice and screamed. My mum and dad ran out and saw me in this bloody heap on the ground. There was no werewolf in sight because it ran off as soon as I screamed. They took me straight to Healers, but the Healers told my parents it was too late. I had become a werewolf for life.

"The next full moon my dad stuffed me in a shed he had been working on that month. I asked him why I had to be put in the shed. I promised I would never do anything wrong ever again. I thought I was being punished. I didn't understand what I had become because no one bothered to tell me what had happened to me. He just shook his head sadly and told me it was for safety.

"When he closed the door it became dark, and I started crying. Then all of a sudden, it felt like someone was stabbing every inch of my body. I tried to cry out but it came out as more of a howl. My bones started braking and lengthening to the size of a werewolf. I howled and then the werewolf inside took over. That's all I can ever remember. Pain, then nothing.

"The next morning my parents came to retrieve me and found me once again covered in lacerations and bruises. My mum started sobbing and they took me to St. Mungo's again.

"I wasn't stupid. I knew something was wrong with me. So when I was allowed to come home again, I asked my dad what had bitten me that night a month ago. He hesitated and then told me it was a werewolf and that I would transform once a month for the rest of my life. He told me how sorry he was and I told him it wasn't his fault. It wasn't anyone's fault, at least that's what I used to think. I thought the poor werewolf couldn't control himself because I knew from experience what he went through each month. But I learned that Fenrir Greyback, the monster that bit me, places himself near helpless children on full moons and makes them just like him.

"Once in a while, the Healers call me back and make me try this new potion that's supposed to help. Nothing ever does anything. I would always get my hopes up, then they would always be crushed. I've given up now on ever hoping there's a cure to lycanthropy."

All three friends stared at Remus and James said, "That's awful. Surely there's something we can do?"

Remus shook his head sadly and, with a small, shaky smile, said, "Nope. Nothing. But that's okay. Just having friends that accept me for what I am is more than enough."

Sirius smiled mischievously and said, "Oh. We'll come up with something. Don't you worry, my little werewolf companion."


End file.
